Hottest and Coldest New York Mets Players Heading into the Second Half

The Major League Baseball season is arguably one of the most exhausting and mentally grueling seasons in sports.

The All-Star break, often seen as the midpoint in the season, has also served as the turning point for many players and teams. For the New York Mets, they have been on a surprisingly positive run recently.

It should be interesting to see how this young team competes in the second half.

There are also some regulars who have gone cold recently despite the good run of form for the team.

Fortunately, the Mets have more “hot” players than “cold” players right now.

Here are the hottest and coldest Mets players heading into the second half.

Hot: David Wright

It is no coincidence that the team has had a fairly hot run since mid-June, which is also when Wright started to heat up.

Wright was batting .273 on June 5th, which is decent but not up to Wright’s standards.

Since then, though, Wright has hit .325 heading into the All-Star break, upping his season average to .304. Over that span, Wright has also put up 14 doubles, six home runs, 14 RBI and 21 runs. Wright’s June line was a whopping .343/.402/.608, and his July line is .304/.426/.429.

Wright has been red-hot entering the All-Star break, and his All-Star starter selection was well deserved.

If the Mets are to keep up this good run, they need Wright to continue to produce at elite levels.

Cold: Matt Harvey

Before anyone comes hunting for my head, let me preface this by saying that Matt Harvey is still one of the best pitchers in baseball and well worthy of starting the All-Star Game.

That being said, however, his final two starts entering the All-Star break have been uninspiring.

After giving up one home run total in all of his June starts, Harvey has already given up a home run in both July starts. In his 13.0 total innings this month, Harvey has given up a very un-Harvey-like 15 hits, eight earned runs and four walks. That equates to a 5.54 July ERA and 1.46 WHIP.

Perhaps Harvey is suffering from his mammoth workload so far.

He has had just one start where he threw fewer than 90 pitches, and that was after 6.0 solid innings in a clear 8-0 blowout.

The All-Star break could not have come soon enough for Harvey. Aside from the workload, he is currently recovering from a blister on his index finger.

Nevertheless, Harvey is a complete all-around pitcher. He has mildly cooled off this month, but a pitcher like Harvey only needs one good start to go on a tear.

Hot: Marlon Byrd

There is arguably no one on the Mets right now hotter than Marlon Byrd.

At the end of May, Byrd was hitting just .241 with a fairly respectable six home runs and 24 RBI.

Since then, Byrd has been on fire. He has hit .299 with eight doubles, nine home runs, 27 RBI and 24 runs. Byrd’s 2013 line is now .271/.316/.502.

By comparison, Justin Upton’s 2013 line is now .255/.353/.462, including 100 strikeouts.

If you asked anyone who would be leading the Mets in both home runs and RBI at the All-Star break, not many would have chosen Marlon Byrd.

But that is precisely the case. Byrd has 15 home runs and 51 RBI right now, which at this pace would give Byrd 27 home runs and 91 RBI.

Byrd is playing even better in July, where he is already hitting .322 with three doubles, one triple, three home runs, 11 RBI and 10 runs. Incredibly, he has had just one start this month where he hasn’t gotten a hit and three starts where he hasn’t scored a run.

All season, Byrd has looked like a serviceable outfielder who hustles and provides occasional pop. But his recent tear has lasted long enough where it does not seem to be a fluke.

If he can continue to put up these numbers, the Mets have locked up a stellar cleanup hitter for the second half for no price at all.

Hot: Josh Edgin

Josh Edgin had an abysmal 9.64 ERA at the end of April, when he was subsequently sent down to Triple-A.

Edgin earned a call-up in early June, and since then has been unbelievable.

In 18 appearances since the call-up, Edgin has given up just one earned run. His 2013 ERA now stands at 3.96, and his WHIP has now gone from 1.82 to 1.44.

However, Edgin has had extremely mediocre command.

In Edgin’s 15.2 innings since his call-up, he has given up eight walks with just six strikeouts. But Edgin has made up for his poor command this time around with sheer grit, allowing just 11 hits and a .158 average with runners in scoring position.

If Edgin can continue to keep runs off the scoreboard, he has a firm place in the Mets bullpen for the second half. But if he starts giving up more hits and more runs, Edgin’s lack of command will be magnified greatly.

Hot: Eric Young Jr.

Another positive move for the Mets this season was the acquisition of Eric Young Jr.

Young was hitting .242 with poor plate discipline in 57 games for the Colorado Rockies while struggling to get consistent playing time.

But Young has been a different man since joining the Mets.

In 24 games, Young has a superb .308/.380/.402 line and has been the dynamic leadoff hitter the Mets have longed for.

Young has been very consistent in July, as well. He did not record a hit in just three games this month, hitting .300 with four doubles, one triple and 12 runs. Young also already has seven stolen bases this month.

The Mets have not provided much protection in the lineup for David Wright in recent years. But a guy like Young is precisely the kind of weapon that Wright needs, and he has only needed a month with the Mets to show that.

Hot: Josh Satin

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Josh Satin is perhaps the biggest surprise of the Mets’ first half.

In 61 at-bats, Satin has an unbelievable .361/.487/.557 line with nine doubles, one home run, eight RBI and 13 runs. Satin already has an incredible 15 walks, which is extremely rare for an excited young player with little major league experience.

At this point, Satin has hit himself into the Mets’ lineup. Whether he ends up playing first base, second base or a corner outfield spot, Satin is undoubtedly a full-time player.

There are two fundamental reasons why Satin deserves to be a regular with the team: an ability to dominate left-handed pitching and strong stats at pitcher-friendly Citi Field.

Satin is hitting a ridiculous .448 with a 1.233 OPS in 29 at-bats against lefties, with seven doubles, five RBI and seven runs. At home, Satin is hitting .375 with a 1.115 OPS.

Mets fans should be drooling to see more of Satin in the second half. And with the recent cold streaks of players like Daniel Murphy and Ike Davis, Satin’s chances should come in bunches.